Kraft Macaroni & Cheese celebrates 75 years of bringing smiles to our faces with its cheesy goodness! It’s been an American favorite since 1937, and those of us who love it take it very seriously, which is why the new tagline is ‘You Know You Love It’.

I do, I do!

Look at this funny video about a father and son’s “shared” mac and cheese love. Cute, huh?

I’ve probably enjoyed most every variety available, so I was more than happy to try the new Creamy Broccoli and Southwest Tortilla flavors. They’re the latest additions to the KRAFT HOMESTYLE macaroni & cheese microwaveable meals which I introduced to you last year.

They include the pasta, seasoning mix, cheese pouch and a topping, and they’re super easy to make. Pour the seasoning into the bowl with the pasta, add water to the fill line and microwave for 4 1/2 minutes. Finally, stir in the cheese and sprinkle on the topping!

Time for dinner, or lunch or a snack!

The sauce is really creamy, the vegetables are fresh and crisp. and there is just the right amount of topping.

The Creamy Broccoli has 340 calories and 11 grams fat, and the Southwest Tortilla dinner has 380 calories and 12 grams of fat. Macaroni and cheese isn’t a dish I indulge in on a daily basis, but I love it for an occasional quick and convenient meal.

RULES: Giveaway ends 11:59 pm ET, April 15, 2013. No purchase necessary. Open to legal residents of the fifty (50) United States and District of Columbia, Eighteen (18) years of age or older. Void where prohibited by law. One lucky winner will be chosen using random.org. One entry per household and IP address. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Cheating will not be tolerated, and entries will be verified for accuracy. I will email the winner and they will have 48 hours to respond to the notification email, or a new winner will be chosen. Entering this giveaway means you are in agreement with this blog’s Terms of Use policy.

This Southwest-style Baked Mac & Cheese is deeeeelicious, and the beauty of the recipe is that you can make it in a homemade or semi-homemade way.

I made this semi-homemade as part of the #KraftFreshTake challenges I’ve been doing, and let me tell ya… following someone else’s dinner rules is not easy!

This particular challenge limited me to a four ingredient meal, and since one of them was already accounted for, the Kraft Fresh Take Southwest Three Cheeseflavor, I really only had three more I could use.

And that’s why I went semi-homemade, something I would not have done outside the challenge. (Well, maybe on a busy day…)

Southwest-style Baked Mac & Cheese

1. Prepare the Kraft Mac & Cheese Deluxe dinner according to package directions, but when mixing in cheese sauce with pasta, add 1/2 cup milk. Add the diced ham, mix well and pour into casserole dish.

2. Combine the seasoning and cheese pouches of the Kraft Fresh Take mix and then evenly pour over the top of the macaroni and cheese.

3. Bake at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes until golden brown. Serve and enjoy!

The seasoning adds a zesty kick of southwest heat, and the combination of the creamy cheese and crunchy seasoning really makes for a unique and flavorful baked mac & cheese.

Note: For a homemade version, prepare your favorite macaroni and cheese recipe and then add the Kraft Fresh Take Southwest Three Cheese seasoning and cheese packet over the top and bake.

Is most of your cooking homemade or semi-homemade?

KRAFT Foods is providing the prizes for this program at no cost to me and has provided me with a gift of equal value for review. This program is not administered or sponsored by Kraft Foods or its affiliates, but solely by A Nut in a Nutshell.

I was able to try all three flavors in the last week: White Cheddar, Sharp Cheddar & Bacon, and Hearty Four Cheese and they still have the creamy, delicious taste of the original but they’re hot and ready in less than 5 minutes.

Here’s how easy it is to make: Mix the macaroni, seasoning packet and water, then microwave for 4 1/2 minutes. Stir in the creamy cheese sauce and sprinkle on the bread crumb or bacon topping.

The noodles are slightly ridged so they really hold onto the sauce, and oh my word, the sauce is creamy and delicious!! The Sharp Cheddar and bacon bit combination was very satisfying.

The other two varieties have a crunchy bread crumb topping which I thought I would hate when I made these. But I felt like I needed to prepare them the way they were intended so I added it. (But you don’t have to!)

To my utter surprise, after a few spoonfuls I really began to enjoy the texture and flavor they added. Delectable.

Overall, I was pretty darn impressed with how this managed to stay true to the creaminess I expect from KRAFT HOMESTYLE dinners.

Each of the bowls is the perfect size for one adult and I think it’s a good amount for kids to share.

At a suggested price of $2.49, I would absolutely buy them again. You’ll find them nationwide in grocery stores, drug stores and mass merchandisers.

RULES: Giveaway ends 11:59 pm ET, September 26, 2012. No purchase necessary. Open to legal residents of the fifty (50) United States and District of Columbia, Eighteen (18) years of age or older. Void where prohibited by law. One lucky winner will be chosen using random.org. One entry per household and IP address. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Cheating will not be tolerated, and entries will be verified for accuracy. I will email the winner and they will have 48 hours to respond to the notification email, or a new winner will be chosen. Entering this giveaway means you are in agreement with this blog’s Terms of Use policy.

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